Combined vending and change making machine



March 21, 1933. L, J. ROBE COMBINED VENDING AND CHANGE MAKING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheetv l [NZENTOR LEM/SJ, mafia TTO NE) March 21, 3.933. L. J. RQBB COMBINED VENDING AND CHANGE MAKING MACHINE LQQZAW? Filed April 50, 1930 4'Sheets-Sheet 2 /NI BYVTOR LEM/s JFbQB AT ORA/E) March 23, 1933. J. ROBB 1,9@2,467

COMBINED VENDING AND CHANGE MAKING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 11v VENTOR LEW/s FQBZB fipf A TTO NE Y March 21, 1933. L. JJROBB mums? COMBINED VENDING AND CHANGE MAKING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1950 4 Sheets-Shet 4 I i I -2E o L- f 31 a as Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES LEWIS 3'. R033, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK COMBINED V'ENI JING AND CHANGE MAKING MACHINE Application filed April 30,

This invention relates to combined vending and change makingmachines and has for its object to provide a machine havln a mechanism which operates to eject the article 5 from the machine on the insertion of coins representing the correct amount for the purchase of the article as well as on the insertion of coins representing a larger amount and in the latter case return to the o erator of the machine together with the article, a coin or coins representing an amount equal to that amount which he overpaid for the article by the insertion of the coin of larger denomination.

Another object of this invention is to so construct the machine that the mechanism thereofwill not be operated unless more than one coin each of the proper denomination is inserted .therein.

These and other objects of this invention will be apparent from the drawings the specification and the appended claims orming a part thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the combined vending and change making machine with parts of the machine partly broken away to illustrate the mechanism thereof.

Figure 2 is an elevation of one side of the machine, also partly broken away.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the other side of the machine with portions of it broken away.

Figure l is a horizontal sectional view of the machine, the section being taken on the line 4:11-4:11 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View of the electric circuit which is embodied in the machine for the operation of it.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The combined vending and change making machine forming the subject matter of my present invention is especially adapted for use in places where it is difficult to secure change in order to get the correct coin or coins for the operation of the'vending machine. The machine is also especially adapted for vending articles which must be vended for more than ten cents but less than twenprovided at one side of the chute.

1930. Serial no. 448,681.

ty-fiv'e cents so that two coins are necessary for the operation.

As illustrated in the several figures of the drawings the combined vending and change making machine comprises a suitable casing 1 which surrounds the frame work of the machine and encloses the mechanism so that it cannot be tampered with. Doors (not shown) are provided in the casing thru which the machine may be easily loaded with the articles to be vended and with the coins which are necessary for making the change.

The machine, as illustrated, is adapted for vending a package which is to be vended for fifteen cents, and two coins, a five cent piece and a ten cent piece, istherefore necessary for the operation of the machine. These two coins are inserted into the openings 2 and 3 near the top of the machine and pass thru the coin chutes 4 and 5 respectively. The opening 2 and coin chute 4 are for the ten cent pieces and the opening 3 and coin chute 5 are for the five cent pieces. Normally projecting into the side of the coin chute 5 is-a sliding pin 6 which serves as a stop for the five cent coin to hold it in the chute until the ten cent piece is inserted into the opening 2 and has dropped thru the chute 4. Projecting into the side of the chute 4 is the end of a lever 7 which is suitably pivoted on the bracket 8 and this lever is normally held to project horizontally into the side of the chute 4 as illustrated in Figure 1'. As the ten cent piece, which has been inserted into the opening 2, drops thru the chute 4 its momentum rocks the lever downwardly into a position where the ten cent piece is free to pass the end of the lever and continue on in its passage thru the chute into a suitable coin box.

The sliding pin which controls the passage of the five cent piece near the top of the chute 5 is connected to one end of the bell crank 9 which is suitably mounted to rock in a bracket The other free end of the bell crank 9 is connected to the lever 7 by means of the link 10. When therefore the lever 7 is rocked downwardly on the passage of a ten cent piece thru the chute 4 the bell crank 9 is correspondingly rocked with it in a direction in which it withdraws the end of the sliding pin 6 from the chute 5 and permits the five cent coin which has been inserted therein or is to be inserted therein to pass past the pin and continue on in the chute 5 until it strikes the yielding stop' formed by the end of the lever 11. This leveris mounted to swing on the. bracket 12 and normally occupies the full line position illustrated in Figure 1. When, however, the lever 7 is rocked by the passage of a ten cent piece thru the chute 4 the lever 11 is rocked with it because of its connection with the lever 7 by means of the link 13. The connection between tlie two levers is such that as the right hand end of the lever 7 is rocked downwardly, the left hand end of the lever 11 is swung upwardly into the dotted line position and projects into the path of the five cent piece which has been allowed to drop down into the chute by the withdrawal of the sliding pin 6.

When the five cent piece strikes the end of the lever 11, its momentum swings the lever from the dotted line position back to its normal full line position. In doing so the lever 7 is rocked back to its normal position by the connecting link 13 while the bell crank 9 and its sliding pin 6 is at the same time operated by the connecting link 10. In other words the momentum of the five cent piece as it strikes the end of the lever 11 resets the lever 7 and the sliding pin to their normal starting position in which they are only disturbed on the insertion of an additional ten cent iece.

After the passage of the five cent piece in the chute 5 past the lever 11'it continues on in the chute and strikes the end of the lever 14 which normally projects horizontally into the side of the chute 5 as illustrated by the dotted line position of this lever in Figure 1. The momentum of the five cent piece as it strikes the lever 14 swings it down into the full line position and in doing so rocks the lever 15 by means of the link 16. The lever 15 is mounted to rock on a suitable bracket 17 and is also connected with the cradle 18 by means of the link 19. The cradle 18 is mounted to rock on a suitable pivot and carries the mercury switch 20. This switch is rocked into the position illustrated in Figure 1 on the a movement of the lever 14 from its dotted line position to the full line position; that is. on the passage of a five cent piece thru the chute 5. The cradle 18 of the mercury switch is slightly overbalanced on one side in such a manner that its heavier side will swing the mercury switch back to its normal starting )osition and move the lever 14 back to its dotted line position as soon as the coin has passed the lever and continues on in the chute to finally land in the coin box. The rocking of the mercury switch effects a momentary connection between the electrodes of the switch by the mercury and thus momentarily closes the electric circuit of which the switch forms a part.

The electric circuit controlled by the mercury switch 20 has in series with it the solenoid 21 which is provided with the armature 22. This armature is normally held partially withdrawn from the solenoid by means of the helical spring 23. The end of the armature 22 is connected with the slide 24 by means of the arm 25. The slide 24 is suitably guided as the armature moves in and out of the solenoid'and carries at the forward end the pressure foot 26. The pressure foot and its slide are located directly behind the bottom of the magazine 27 in which the articles to be vended are stacked up. On the closing of the electric circuit which energizes the solenoid 21 the armature 22 moves the slide to the right so that the pressure foot 26 thereof enters the magazine from the rear and forces the lowermost package located in the magazine out of the front of the magazine and thru the passage way 28 into the receptacle 29. As above pointed out the electric circuit is only momentarily closed so that as soon as one package is pushed out of the magazine the expansion of the spring 23 returns the armature to its normal position and at the same time withdraws the pressure foot from the magazine to allow the next package to assume the place of the one which has been ejected.

In this way the vending machine operates to eject a package when two coins, a five cent piece and a ten cent iece are inserted into the machine. As pointed out the machine will not operate on the insertion of but one coin which may be either the five cent piece or the ten cent piece. A ten cent piece inserted alone will drop directly .into the coin box without in any way effecting an operation of the machine exce t clearing the passage for the five cent piece so that on the insertion of the additional five cent piece the mechanism will be operated to eject the package. Inserting a five cent piece alone will not operate the machine because the five cent piece cannot pass thru the chute to opcrate the mechanism of the machine until the additional ten cent piece has been inserted to permit the five cent piece to pass thru its chute.

The coin chutes 4 and 5 are supplemented in the vending machine by two more chutes 30 and 31. These are located on either side of the magazine and terminate in the coin slots 32'and 33 respectively in the front of the machine. Coin slot 32 and its chute 30 are constructed to receive a fifty cent piece and coin slot 33 and its chute 31 are made to receive a twenty five cent piece. On the insertion of either one or the other of these coins in their respective coin slots the mechanism of the vending machine is operated to eject one of the packages by means of the solenoid 21. For this pur a mercury switch 34 is mounted to roc on the side of the chute 30 and is connected by means of the link 35 to the lever 36 located near the top of the chute. The mercury switch is overbalanced on one side so that its osition normally holds the lever 36 in a orizontal position in which its end Fprojects into the chute 30 as illustrated in igure 2. A second lever 37 is located near the bottom of the chute 30 and is connected with the lever 36 by means of the link 38A so that when the end of the lever 36 projects into the chute the end of the lever 37 is withdrawn from it. When therefore a fifty cent piece is dropped into the coin slot 32 and drops down into the chute 30 it first encounters the end of the lever 36 and rocks this lever downwardly. This movement of the lever 36 rocks the mercury switch 34 to close the electric circuit in which it is located. At the same time the movement of the lever 36 operates to move the lever 37 so that its outer end projects into the chute near the bottom thereof. As the coin continues on in the chute after it has passed the lever 36 it therefore strikes the end of the lever 37 near the bottom of the chute and swings the lever 37, the lever 36 and the mercury switch 34 back into their normal starting position. The electric circuit controlled by the mercury switch is thus held closed while the coin drops down in the chute 30 between the levers 36 and 37.

The mercury switch 34 is connected in series with the solenoid 21 and with the solenoid 38. Solenoid 21 operates to eject the packages from the magazine 27 as above described. Solenoid 38 is located underneath the coin tube 31. The armature 40 of the solenoid 38 has the slide 41 connected thereto and both the armature and the slide are normally held in the'position illustrated in Figure 2 by the helical spring 42. When the electrical circuit is closed by the mercury switch 34 the solenoid is energized and draws the armature into it. At the same time the pin 43 carried at the front of the slide, engages the lowermost coin located in the coin tube 39 and pushes it out from under the tube into the chute 44 in which itcontinues to.

slide until it reaches the receptacle at the front of the machine.

As illustrated in Figure 4 the slide 41 has an arm 45 extending to one side thereof and underneath a second coin tube 46. The outer end of this arm carries a pin 47. When therefore the slide 41 is operated by the solenoid 38 it not only forces the lowermost coin out of the bottom of the coin tube 39 but also forces the lowermost coin out of the coin tube 46 by means of the arm 45 and its pin 47. The coins located in the coin tube 39 are twenty five cent pieces and the coins located in the coin tube 46 are ten cent pieces. The operation of the solenoids 21 and 38 by a fifty cent iece therefore ejects one of the pack es toget er with a twenty five cent piece an a ten cent piece or in other words operates the machine so that it delivers a package for fifteen cents and returns change amounting to thirty five cents.

Mounted on the side of the chute 31, which is adapted to receive twenty five cent ieces thru the coin slot 33, is another or thir mercury switch 48. The mounting of this switch is connected with the lever 49 by means of the link 50. The lever 49 is mounted to swing on a suitable bracket and normally has its end projecting into the side of the chute 31 near the upper end thereof. Near the bottom of the chute 31 is located another lever 51 which is suitably mounted on one side of the chute and is connected with the lever 49 by means of the link 52. This link connects the two levers 49 and 51 so that when the end of one lever projects into the chute the end of the other is withdrawn from it. The mercury switch is overbalanced in order to assume the normal position illustrated in Figure 3 in which the contacts of the switch are not connected by the mercury. The switch thus normally holds the lever 49 with its end projectinn into the chute and the lever 51 with its end withdrawn from the chute. On the insertion of. a twenty five cent piece into the chute the coin strikes the end of the lever 49 and rocks it downwardly in order to pass the lever. The movement of the lever 49 is transmitted to the lever 51 and swings this lever so that its end project into the chute and the path of the dropping coin. At the same time that the lever 51 is swung to have its end project into the chute 31, the mercury switch 48 is rocked so that it closes the electric circuit of which it forms a part. The mercury keeps the circuit closed until the coin strikes the end of the lever 51 and swings this lever back to its normal starting position. In so doing the lever 49 and switch 48 are moved back to their startingposition and the electric circuit is again opened in the mercury switch.

The mercury switch is mounted in an electric circuit which includes the solenoid 21 and the solenoid 54. Solenoid 21 operates to eject the package from the magazine 27 while solenoid 54 ejects a coin from the coin tube 46. For this purpose the armature 55 of the solenoid 54 is provided with the slide 56 whi h carries at its forward end the pin 57. This pin is normally located adjacent to the lowermost coin in the coin tube '46 so that when it is moved into the coin tube the lowermost coin located therein is forced out of the tube into the chute 58 in which it slides forward into the receptacle 29. The helical spring 59 is compressed when the armature is attracted by the solenoid and moves into it but as soon as the solenoid is deenergized the spring expands and moves the slide 56 with its pin 57 back to their normal starting position. From this it will be seen that the solenoids 21 and 54 are operated when a twenty five cent piece is inserted into the coin slot 33. Solenoid 21 operates to eject a package from the magazine while solenoid 54 operates to eject at the same time one of the ten cent pieces locatedjn the coin tube 46. In this way a package as well as ten cents change are ejected by the machine on the insertion of a twenty five cent piece into the machine.

WVhile I have described the machine as operating with five, ten, twenty-five and fifty cent pieces, it is of course understood that the machine may be constructed to operate also with coins of other denominations.

I claim:

1. In a combined vending and change making machine the combination of a magazine adapted to contain packages to be vended, a coin tube containing coins of predetermined denomination, a coin chute having a coin slot for the insertion of a coin of another predetermined denomination into said coin chute, an electric switch, a lever projecting into said coin chute and operated on the passage of a coin thru said coin chute to close said switch, a second lever, a link connecting said first lever with said second lever and operable to project said second lever into said coin chute on the operation of saidfirst lever by a coin passing thru said coin chute, said second lever being. operated by the coin after said coin has operated said first lever, said second lever operating to return said first lever to its original position and simultaneously open said switch on the operation of said second lever by said coin, a solenoid operated on the closing of said switch to eject a package from said magazine and a coin from said coin tube.

2. In a combined vending and change making machine the combination of a maga zine adapted to contain packages to be vended, a pair of coin tubes each containing coins of predetermined denomination, a coin chute having a coin slot for the insertion of a coin having a predetermined denomination difierent from the denomination of the coins contained in said pair of coin tubes and means operated on the passage of a coin thru said coin chute to simultaneously eject a package from said magazine and a coin from each of said coin tubes, a second coin chute having a coin slot for the insertion of another coin of predetermined denomination and means operated on the passage of a coin thru said second coin chute to eject a package from said magazine and a coin from one of said coin tubes and a pair of coin chutes, means operated by a coin passing thru one of said pair of coin chutes to eject a package from said package magazine and means operated by a coin passing thru the second of said pair of coin chutes to control the passage of the coin passing thru the first of said pair of coin chutes.

3. In a combined vending machine and change making machine the combination of a magazine containing packages, a pair of coin chutes each having a coin slot for the insertion of a coin into each of said coin chutes, means for temporarily obstructing the passage thru one of said coin chutes, means op erated on the passage of a coin thru the other of said coin chutes to remove said temporary obstructing means and permit a coin to pass thru said rst mentioned coin chute, an electric switch, means operated on the passage of a coin thru said first mentioned chute to momentarily operate said switch, and a solenoid in series with said switch, the armature of said solenoid operating to force a package out of said magazine on the momentary energizing of said solenoid on the operation of said switch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LEWIS J. ROBB. 

